Country: united-states
This livestream tour will take you through up-and-coming neighborhoods as well as the oldest residential area in Brooklyn. We’ll start our virtual walking tour in DUMBO, and explore the former industrial and shipping yards that have since been transformed into waterfront parks, fine dining, and entertainment. We’ll poke our heads into Gleason’s Gym, the most famous boxing gym in America where Mike Tyson got his start, and legends like Muhammad Ali trained before their big fights at Madison Square Garden. Next, we’ll walk through Brooklyn Bridge Park, a revitalized stretch of the waterfront with beautiful views of the Manhattan skyline, plus three bridges connecting Brooklyn and Manhattan. You’ll learn about David Walentas, the so-called 'King of DUMBO', one of the biggest investors and real estate moguls in the neighborhood, and the guy who made most of this redevelopment possible. We’ll see the former Empire Stores tobacco warehouses—now an excellent food court and performance hall—plus a 100-year-old wooden carousel on the shoreline. From there we will walk under the Brooklyn Bridge and go in-depth about its history as an engineering landmark and the first skyscraper in America. We will also see the former Fulton Ferry landing. The ferries and barges have since been converted into restaurants, ice cream shops, and music venues. Then we’ll walk up the Squibb Bridge — a zigzagging path that leads us to Brooklyn Heights. The Promenade will give us one final view of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty before we head into one of the most picturesque neighborhoods in all of New York. Historic, wealthy, and exclusive, Brooklyn Heights is considered America’s first suburb, where the rich industrialists of 1800s Manhattan would rest their heads at night in brownstone rowhouse mansions. There are hardly any tourist sites or shops here. The streets are quiet and quaint and lined with trees like something out of a movie. It’s also a big celebrity neighborhood, but if we see someone famous, we’ll just act nonchalant because they come here to get away from the fame!Finally, we’ll see one of the most historic landmarks in Brooklyn Heights: Plymouth Church, well known as one of the biggest “stations” on the Underground Railroad. Many outside of America are unfamiliar with the Underground Railroad, which was a system of smuggling escaped slaves out of the South and into the Northern states during the American Civil War in the mid-1800s. Plymouth Church was one of the biggest safehouses for these escaped slaves who would be hidden in the basement until it was safe to move them deeper into Brooklyn where they couldn’t be captured by bounty hunters. We’ll go more in-depth on this fascinating topic during the tour. Join me on this interactive live virtual where you’ll be able to ask me questions and chat with fellow participants as I stream to you from out on location in this city packed with rich history and architecture. I can’t wait to share insider tips, fantastic stories, and captivating views of the city’s highlights with you!
Highlights: Brooklyn Bridge Park
Your guide: David Lawitts